GROUP 3

Meaning of Land Reform

Reform implies the existence of a defect that something is deformed of malformed anddoes not
suit existing conditions.
In broad sense, land reform refers to the full range of measures that may or should be taken to
improve or remedy the defects in the relations among men with respect to their rights in land.

LAND REFORM vs AGRARIAN REFORM

 Land Reform -a process of redistributing land from the landlords to tenant-farmers in order that they
will be given a chance to own a piece of land to improve their plight.
 Agrarian Reform -concerned with the total development of the farmers’ economic, social and political
transformation.
Meaning of Agrarian Structure
In the above context, agrarian structure is defined as a complex set of relationship within the
agricultural sector among tenure structure, production structure and the structure of supporting services.

Meaning of Land Tenure

Structure Land tenure structure is a concept which refers to one or more types of land tenure systems
regulating the rights to ownership and control and usage of land and the duties accompanying such tights.

Example of Land Tenure Reform Measures

Land tenure reform measures would include the following:
1. Redistribution of private lands
2. Distribution of lands in the public domain, sometimes also referred to as resettlement or
colonization
3. Regulation of tenancy
4. Regulation of agricultural labor contracts and wages; and
5. Elimination of absentee landlordism and transfer of land ownership to the actual tillers.

Meaning of Production Structure

Production structure is a concept which relates to the nature, type and modus operandi as well as the
actual process of production or farm operation.

Examples of Production Structures Distinguished

The following would fall under production reform measures:
1. Consolidation of small, uneconomic holdings to insure optimum utilization
2. Imposition of a floor on holdings of uneconomic size beyond which subdivision is to be prevented
3. Promotion of cooperative or compact farming among sub marginal farmers
4. Imposition of a ceiling on holdings of non- cultivating owners
5. Organization of crop rotation system

Meaning of Structure of Supporting Services

The structure of supporting services is a concept which involves matters like credit, marketing, the
supplying of agricultural requisites, processing, storage, etc. and other technical assistance bearing on reforms
of tenure and production structures.

Meaning of Agrarian Reform

Agrarian reform is considered wider than land reform.
1. The term comprises not only land reform, the reform of tenure, production and supporting
services.
 2. In the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 (R.A No. 6657), agrarian reform is
defined to mean “the redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to farmers and
regular farm workers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement, to include the
totality of factors and support services designed to lift the economics status of the beneficiaries
and all other arrangements alternative to the physical redistribution of lands, such as production
or profit-sharing, land administration and the distribution of shares of stock, which will allow
beneficiaries to receive a just share of the fruits of the lands they work.”

Examples of Agrarian Reform Measures

Agrarian reform would, therefore, also cover the following:
1. Public health programs
2. Family planning
3. Education and training of farmers
4. Reorganization of land reforms agencies
5. Application of labor laws to agricultural workers
6. Construction of infrastructure facilities such as feeder roads, irrigation systems, etc., and the
establishment of rural electrification
7. Organization of various types of voluntary associations
8. Providing employment opportunities to underemployed or surplus rural labor; and
9. Other services of a community development nature

B. ASPECTS OF AGRARIAN REFORM

Economic Aspect of Agrarian Reform
1. Vital position of agricultural in national economy.
2. Obstacles to agricultural productivity.
3. Agrarian reform, an instrument for increasing agricultural productivity.

Religious Aspect of Agrarian Reform

1. Biblical background.
2. Papal teachings

Moral Aspect of Agrarian Reform

Agrarian reform is demanded by the moral laws under so many titles.
1. One reason concerns the peace and internal stability of a country.
2. Another reason for agrarian reform is the fact that the land-owner has been more than
compensated for his investment on land, while the tenant who made the landlord’s profits possible is
still immersed in poverty
3. There is also the question of injustice involved in landlordism.
4. Another consideration concerns the innate tendency of everyman to own land.
5. A final consideration concerns the economy.

Legal Aspect of Agrarian Reform

1. Two vantage points. ---- strictly legal and sociological.
2. Agrarian reform legislations to conform with Constitution.
3. Constitutional mandates.
4. Policy development concerning agrarian reform.

Political Aspect of Agrarian Reform

1. Agrarian reform, a top-priority goal of government.
2. Agrarian reform as a political process.
C.IMPLEMENTATIO N OF AGRARIAN REFORM
Ways of Effecting changes in Agrarian Reform
Changes in the agrarian structure can be achieved in practice by revolutionary means, by an
authoritarian regime or by evolutionary means through the democratic process.
1. In a revolutionary situation, it is accomplished as a result of a shift of political, economic and
administrative power to a class which would benefit directly by the forms.
2. It can also be introduced by an authoritarian regime already in power as a means of broadening its
political base and of accomplishing certain desired economic and social changes.
3. The implementation of land reform within a politically democratic framework, however, presents
problems.

AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

The various agrarian reform programs in many countries, while basically the same in their objectives,
vary in their specific. Where redistribution of land is the principal prop of a State’s agrarian reform program, the
following points become cogent:
1. Retention ceiling
2. Recipients or beneficiaries of the redistribution program
3. Valuation
4. Mode of payment
5. Repayment of new owners
6. Government support– Two methods as far as direction of repayment is concerned, have been
adopted:
a. the farmer directly pays for his land to the original landowner under a system of
amortization with the least interference form the government; and
b. in the majority of democratic and developing countries, the new owners pay the
government who earlier has acquired or expropriated these properties from private owners.